Sweden and Finland afraid that Hungary will veto their NATO-accession
If a state wants to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, all the existing member states must give a green light. Up to now, all members did that in the case of Finland and Sweden but Hungary and Turkey. Ankara’s goal is clear for Helsinki and Stockholm since Turkey would like to hammer out favourable deals with the two Scandinavian nations. Meanwhile, the EU member Hungary’s standpoint caused incomprehension and even outrage after a Finnish politician and tabloid misunderstood a recent decision of the Hungarian parliament. They believed that Hungary vetoed their NATO accession. Below you may read the details.
Everybody has to accept
According to 24.hu, journalists and politicians do not understand why the Hungarian parliament has not yet discussed the NATO accession of the two Scandinavian countries. That is because László Kövér, the speaker of the House (Fidesz) does not include the issue on the agenda of the legislation. Of course, that is not his decision but probably PM Orbán’s. Helsinki and Stockholm would like to know the answers as to why the Hungarian prime minister delayed the decision. Some already have theories about that.
Among the 30 members of the US-led military alliance, only Hungary and Turkey did not give the green light for their NATO accession. Furthermore, the Hungarian government submitted the relevant bill to the parliament 2.5 months ago. Moreover, the Socialists would have liked to accelerate the decision-making process, but the speaker refused to do so. When the Socialists initiated a vote about that, MPs of the government parties said Nay. Bertalan Tóth, the chairman of the leftist party called the move shameful.
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Fidesz and KDNP voted ‘Nay’
Finland and Sweden have been cooperating with NATO for decades. The first Orbán government bought the Hungarian Air Force’s Gripens from Sweden in 1999. The Finnish PM is a devoted supporter of Ukraine and Finland is about the build a border fence to stop the Russian refugees. Both Sweden and Finland decided to join NATO this spring.
Finnish politics is utterly different from that of Hungary, so they did not understand why the government parties refused to accept the Socialists’ proposal about the acceleration. Many even misunderstood that. A Finnish politician tweeted that “family is the worst”, referring to the Hungarian-Finnish language kinship. That is because the Ilta-Sanomat, a local tabloid misunderstood the voting and wrote Fidesz rejected the NATO accession of the country.
Blackmailing the EU?
Meanwhile, the Finnish president highlighted that their NATO accession depends mostly on Turkey. About Hungary, he only said that Budapest had disputes with the EU. Therefore, he does not consider Hungary’s approval an automatic decision but he does not worry because of Budapest.
Rudolf Berkes, an analyst of the Political Capital said the Orbán government did not want to allow the opposition to be successful in the issue. Helsingin Sanomat, a Finnish newspaper, reminded that Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó expressed his backing towards their NATO accession before.
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Mika Aaltola, the director of FILA, said Turkey would accept the countries by the end of this year.
One of the most prestigious Swedish newspapers, the Dagens Nyheter, wrote that Hungary might slow down the accession process based on what Márton Tompos, a politician of opposition Momentum told them. Tompos believes that Orbán uses the Finnish and Swedish NATO accession to blackmail Brussels. Orbán wants access to the EU funds denied because of the corruption in Hungary. He does not think the government will veto it, but Orbán will use it to reach their own goals, Tompos said.
Zsolt Németh, the head of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee (Fidesz) could not tell the Swedish paper when the parliament would decide. However, he cleared they were positive about the NATO accession of the two countries.
Source: 24.hu
Sweden spent the last 7 years condemning Hungary because of its immigration policy. Now, Sweden realized it really messed up by opening the border. Now they have bombings on regular bases, increase in rape, no go zones, high cost of supporting migrants who refuse to either learn the language or go to work. Unless Sweden apologizes to the Hungarian people, Hungary should veto the NATO acceptance. People with such a poor decision making do not belong in a modern society. Yes, the Swedish people elected the government, they certainly showed bad judgement.
So shortsighted. But does Orban understand, that topics donot have to be messed up. I rather fear, he is Putins poodle and thus doe want to please his master in Moskow….
The EU is withholding money from Hungary. Orban is 100% correct to hold up agreeing to new members of NATO. Sweden and Finand need to understand that their political actions have consequences.
Orban is holding back on the vote for Putin’s sake and for once again reach the only successful position of negotiation it has left: being a monkeywrench in the works that holds a process that everyone else agreed to in order to hold back the consequences of turning Hungary into an EU funds siphoning machine (not just the immigration policy, Orbán has worked very, very hard to turn himself into the EU’s pariah). He is able to do this because both NATO and the EU (which are separate, parallel organizations) both assume that members voluntary joining means cooperation rather than belligerent sabotage for selfish gains.
The EU has already condemned Hungary as not a full democracy and withholding funds. Orbán hopes for a repeal and for further exceptions for Hungary under sanctions as well as playing swing-politics with Russa. The reason why NATO membership has not been allowed to be even considered within the Parliment is because he is not yet prepared this move yet.
@mariavontheresa – in case you missed it – https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/09/16/sweden-election-why-the-far-right-were-the-biggest-winners-and-four-other-takeaways – assuming the Sweden Democrats would be just the type of party Fidesz would be proud to be associated with!
Our Politicians are experts at never letting a good crisis go to waste. Smoke, mirrors and deflection. Let’s not forget Mr. Orban went on an approximately 4.5 billion euros spending spree ahead of the elections on vote-pleasing initiatives, notwithstanding we were already facing rampant inflation, skyrocketing energy prices and a deterioration of the HUF. That and EU wishing transparency as to what happens to the EU funds (Mrs. Merkel is gone – no more excuses). The funds need to go to the people – our people. Not to our Politicians, their families and toadies
@Norbert:
If you ever decide to (publicly) go into politics, you’ll have my vote, and that of every Hungarian voter I know. 🙂 😀
– Then, you could make sure that mvt gets the sack from her cushy job in Ottawa, n’est pas? 😉 🙂 😀
Turkey and Hungary are Putin’s little puppets. I hope i dont see any of you guys in Finland.